Breaker strip construction



Dec. l, 1953 R. E. wALLENBRocK ETAL 2,651,117

BREAKER STRIP CONSTRUCTION 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1950 Dec. 1, 1953 R. E. wALLENBRocK ETAL 2,661,117

BREAKER STRIP CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 28, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /llllllll/l//l/ PM Q. zfy

Patented Dec. 1, 1953 BREAKER- STRIP CONSTRUCTION Ralph E. Wallenbrock and John J. Voda, Evansville, Ind., assgnors to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application February 2s, 195o, serial No. 146,659

5 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerator cabinet construction and more particularly to a breaker strip assembly for a refrigerator cabinet.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a novel breaker strip construction in which a breaker strip of molded plastic or rubber is used to bridge the space between the inner and outer walls of a refrigerator cabinet.

Another object is to provide a breaker strip formed with projections along each edge thereof which are secured in place by clip members, thus providing a means of securing the breaker strip in place by use of a very minimum of parts.

Still another object is to provide a breaker strip that can be easily and quickly installed or removed from a refrigerator cabinet.

A further object is to form a breaker strip with transverse ribs on one side which will act as strengthening members, thus providing a breaker strip which is relatively thin but of sufcient strength for normal usage.

A still further object is to provide a simplified means of sealing around a breaker strip to prevent any entrance of air or moisture between the inner and outer walls of a refrigerator cabinet.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from consideration of the following description and claims taken in accordance with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a top View of a refrigerator cabinet or chest having the food storage compartment door in open position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a perspective of the under side of a portion of the breaker strip shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View of a modified structure.

Fig. 5 is a perspective of the under side of a portion of the breaker strip shown in Fig. 4.

Although the construction illustrated could be used in a refrigerator cabinet having a front opening, it is illustrated in a cabinet or chest I having a top opening door II hingedly connected.

to the cabinet wall. The illustrated cabinet wall has an outer wall I2, an inwardly spaced inner wall I3 and insulating material I 4 disposed between said walls.

As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the outer wall I2 is provided with a downwardly and inwardly bent portion which forms a rounded edge I and a channel IB having a leg I1 adjacent the outer Wall, a bottom portion I8 perpendicular to the outer wall and a second leg I9 parallel to said first leg and having an edge 20 located in the same horizontal plane as edge I5.

The inner wall I3 is provided with a downwardly and outwardly bent portion which forms a rounded edge 2| lying in the same horizontal plane as edge I5 and a channel 22 having a leg 23 adjacent the inner wall, a bottom portion 24 bent perpendicular to the inner wall, and a sec ond leg 25 bent parallel to the first leg and having an edge 26 located in the same horizontal plane as edge 2|. The channels I6 and 22 form upwardly opening grooves or pockets 21 and 3l respectively around the door opening.

A breaker strip 28 of a one-piece picture frame construction bridges the space between said inner and outer wall with lip 29 overlapping edge I5 and lip 3i) overlapping edge 2l. The breaker strip is of molded plastic or rubber and has spaced transverse ribs 3| formed along its bottom side. These ribs act as Strengthening members and eliminate the necessity of positioning separate supporting members under `said breaker strip. Cylindrical projections 32 and 38 are also formed on the bottom side of said breaker strip and are spaced apart along the length of the breaker strip. There is a row of projections spaced inwardly from lip 29 and a second row spaced inwardly from lip 30.

The bottom portions I8 and 24 of said channels are provided with holes 33 which are spaced apart in alignment with projections 32 and 38. Into these holes are positioned tubularY clip members 34 having ears 35 which secure the clips to said channels. The projections are of sufficient length t0 extenddown through the clips. The inside diameter of the clips tapers to a smaller dameter toward the bottom of said clip so as to provide a press-fit between the projections and. clips, thus securing the projections in place. By.

breaker' strip. This prevents the entrance of any A. air or moisture into the insulation space between'- the inner and outer Walls.

In assembling the breaker strip, the clips 34 are first pushed down through holes 33 until ears 35`have, passed through said holes and havek sprung out and secured the clips to the channels. The gum-like sealing material is then placed in the channel grooves 21 and 31 of suicient quantity to completely fill the grooves. The one-piece breaker strip is then positioned with the projections 32 and 38 in alignment with clips 34 and thenl forced down so that the projections will cut through the sealingv material and be pressed-fitted into the inside diameter of the clips. By this arrangement a breaker strip is provided which can be quickly installed, requires only a few parts and completely. seals the insulating space between the inner and. outer Walls of a refrigerator cabinet.

In the modied structure as shown in 4 and 5, a breaker strip 45 bridges the space between walls I2 and I3 and is formed with lips 4 and 41 which overlap edges I5 and 2|. Longi tudinal ribs 39 and 40 are, formed on the under side, of said breaker strip spaced inwardly from lips 46 and 4'1V respectively. Along the bottom edge of rib cylindrical projections 42 are formed'. The projections 4I and- 42 are spaced apart along the length of said breaker strip and are held in place by theV clips 34 as described above. Transverse ribs 4 3 are formed on the under side of the breaker strip and serve as strengthening members. The ribs 39` and 40.are embedded in the sealing material 36, thus prventing,` the entrance of any moisture or air into the spacel between wallsV I2,I and I3. In this arrangement only a small amount of sealing material is required since a complete seal will be formed as long as the lower portion of ribs 39 and 40 are.

embedded in the sealing material.

llt.v will, of course, be understood that various changes in detailsk of construction andl arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in.

the art without departingfrom the spirit ofthe invention as set forth. inthe appended claims,A

What is claimed is:

1. In a. refrigerator cabinet construction having`V spaced apart. walls,y a channel adjacentl the terminal edge of each of said walls. having. a pair ofilegs connected', by a. web portion. having... holes therein, the terminal free end of,- each of said,

pair of said legs being in alignment. wi'th the ter- In i,.1 ;lal edge of. its respective, wa1l,. clip members seeured in, said holes, ya breaker strip connectingI said walls.. saidv breaker strip having its. edgesA formed to, provide, apai'r of lips, each of said-.lips

beingpositionable to.overlap a. respective. wall.- saidbreaker strip.. further having aat portion adjacent eachlip on. one side thereof, each of said flat, portions being adapted to bridge a respective. channel and abutthe terminal. freeends.

of the: legs thereof, said flat portions having'pro jections. depending therefrom adapted to. extend into said channels and be secured. in place by saidclip members, and a sealing materialconf.v tained in. said channels cooperable With said breaker, strip. and' lwalls for hermetically sealing.,

the space between the walls. Y

2. In a. refrigerator cabinet, the combination of: spaced apart walls having insulating mate-1 rial. disposed therebetween and` being formed to Y.

dene. a door opening, said walls. terminating. in-

spacedapart edge portions peripherally ofthe;V

holes therein, theterminal-,free endlsfof. said; legs.;l oijeabhV channel', being in. alignment. withA eaclr.,

other; tubular clip members'secured in said holes,

and a breaker strip connectingsaid walls, said breaker strip having its edges formed to provide a pair of lips, each of said lips being positionable to overlap a respective wall, said breaker strip further having a flat portion adjacent each lip on one side thereof, each of said flat portions being adapted to bridge a respective channel and abut the terminal free ends of the legs thereof, said flat portions having cylindrical projections depending therefrom adapted to extend into said channels and be engaged by said clip members, said breaker strip being molded with transverse ribs extending between the flat portions.

3'. The combination as set forth in claim 2,

. which.l sealing, means cooperable with said walls and said breaker strip are provided for hermeticallw sealing: the space between said walls, said means including a sealing material contained within said channels.

4. In a refrigerator cabinet, the combination of: spaced* apart walls having insulating material disposed" therebetween and being formed to define a door opening, said walls terminating in spaced apart edge portions peripherall'yfV of the door opening, said edge portions being bent inwardly toward each other toform a channel'- along eac-h wal-l', each of said channels having a pair of legs connected'A by a webl portion having' apertures therein, the terminal free ends ofsaid legs of-'eachl channel-being in a common plane and in alignment' with each other, tubularclip" mem*- bers secured` in said apertures, abreaker' strip connecting said walls, said' breaker strip having its' edges formedto providea pair of lips, each of said lips being; positionable` to overlap a re*- spective wall, saidbreaker strip furtherl having a flat' portion adjacent each lip on onepside thereof, eachof said' flat portions' being adapted to bridge a respective channel. and abut the termina'lfree endsv of the l'egs' thereofsaid fiat portions: having cylindrical. projections depending therefrom adapted tov extend into said channels and be presseiitted engagement with said' clipl members, said' breaker strip. being molded with transverse ribs extendingv between the at portions` for strengthening the breakerv strip, and sealing means cooperable with saidi walls. and

breaker` strip.,V for hermetically sealing the space, between said walls, said" means including' sealingV material,r containedwithin. and substantially fill'- ing saidv channels and'v contacting said flatK por.- ti'ons.

5,., In a. refrigerator cabinet, the combination of': spaced' apart walls having insulating` mate.` rial. disposed therebetween andbeing formed, to

definea door opening,s,aid`,walls terminating. in.

spacedf apart edge portions peripherall'y of.' the door opening, sai'cl edge portions being bent' in.-

.Wardly toward, each other. toform. a channel along each-wall). each of. sai'dchannels having., a.`

pair oilegs. connectedby a web portion. having holesV therein, the terminal free ends` ofsaid legs.

of' eachbhannelbeing i'n a commony plane andi'n` alignmentwith each other,clip members secured.

insaid holes.. formed; in said'. webY portions. a.

breaker. y strip connecting l said. walls,l said ,breaker stri'p having, its. edges formedlto provide a pair, of` lips, each of'said lips being positionable to over,- lap a respective wall, said breaker strip further having aat portion adi'acent.- each lip. on oneside thereof, each,v of' said flat portions, being adaptedto bridge a respective channel and. abut. the terminalfree ends of the legs thereof, each of'l said. 'at. portions. having, arib depending, therefrom adapted' to be disposed between the legs of a respective channel, said ribs having References Cited in the le of this patent projections extending therefrom adapted to be UNITED STATES PATENTS secured to said clip members, and sealing means cooperable with said walls and said ribs for heri Nunber N'fme Date material. 2,464,526 Palmer Mar. 1,5, 1949 2,518,673 Ellsworth Aug. 15, 1950 RALPH E. WALLENBROCK. 10 JOHN J. VODA. 

